Separating and defining strip for terrazzo floor sections



Oct. 22, 1929. M. A. BOET 1,732,253

SEPARATING AND DEFINING STRIP FOR TERRAZZO FLOOR SECTIONS Filed March 1, 1929 INVENTOR M/Y/P/O f7. 8057' Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED-STATES PATENT; OFFICE,

MARIO A. BOET, 0F HOLLIS, NEW YORK SEPARATING AND DEFINING STRIP FOR TERRAZZO FLOOR SECTIONS Application filed March 1,- 1929. Serial No. 343,613.

such manner as to interlock adjoining sections together, while at the same time preventing the formation and spreading of fissures or cracks in the finished flooring.

The invention, having the general objects above stated, has for a further object to provide a novel construction of strip having a ,novel form of interlock lugs or tongues integrally connected therewith, whereby not ,only is the strip held against shifting in any direction,-i. e. vertically, longitudinally or laterally, from operative position relative to. the floor material, but is further maintained in interlocked relation both with the underbedor screed coat section of the flooring material as well as with the terrazzo material itself. To this end said lock lugs or tongues, which are struck out of the body of the strip to project from opposite sides thereof, are of a peculiar angular construction, having a main body lying in a plane oblique to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and spur downwardly directed from the high end of said main body toembed itself in both the underbed and terrazzo material so as to fix the strip against longitudinal shifting, while the main body which also embeds itself in both the'underbed and terrazzo material is adapted to prevent both lateral and vertical shifting of the strip.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a terrazzo flooring broken away in part to show the novel separating and defining strip of this invention assembled therewith; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View, showing in part a section through the flooring, and in part a side eleva tion of the separating and defining strip embedded therein; Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview of the novel strip; Fig. l is a transverse section, taken on line 4l in Fig. 2; and Fig.

5 is a fragmentary perspective of the novel strip. I

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

In the laying of terrazzo floors an under" bed of mixed sand and cement is first spread on the base flooring to the required thickness. While the underbed material is still soft or plastic, the novel separating and defining strips are inserted edgewise into the underbed, to block the same off into sections of the desired shape.

As shown in the drawings, the reference character 6 indicates the body of the separating and defining strip which is a thin flat strip of suitable metal such as brass having a continuous unbroken upper edge 7 and a corresponding unbroken lower edge 8. The metal of the separating and defining strip is I flexible and, owing to the thinness of these strips, they may be transversely bent into circular or other forms when desired, to thereby define fioor sections having various outlines. The strip has a vertical depth when installed that is substantially equal. to the combined height of the under or screed layer 9 and the finishing or terrazzo layer 10 of the flooring material, the upper edge of the strip serving to define the surface level of the finishing layer. To thisend the strip is pressed into the screed layer while that layer is in a semi-plastic condition,with the upper portion of the strip extending above the up per surface of the screed layer to a height equal to the desired thickness of the finishing or top layer.

The body 6 of the strip is formed substantially midway of its height with spaced-integral outstruck interlock lugs or tongues each of which comprises a main body 12lying in a plane oblique to the longitudinal axis of the strip and a spur or depending portion 13 extending vertically downward from the upper end of said main body. Certain of. the

portion of the strip extending between them in fixed centered position with respect to the adjacent fioor sections having layers 9xand 10. The main bodies 12 of each successive pair of lugsform, ineii ect, opposite side portions of a keystone'or .wedgeshaped interlock brtweenthe strips and the layers 9 and 10 at opposite -sides'o f the strip, thereby securely interlocki-ng the strip witlrthe adjacent floor sections.

In setting the strip into the screed layer, 'the lowerportions of the'main body '12 and '-spur 1*3 of each interlock lug enters theiscreed layerQ. Also, thematerial of the screedlay- *er-enters the'openings 14 madein the body 6 of thestrip at the time of pressing out the interlocking lugs. The material of the screed layer contacting withthe surfaces of the interlock -lugsand-with the'edge of the openings '14'a'ets tohold-the strip in position while the ='top,-or finishing layer material is being placed upon the screed layer and against'thestrip. 'It will be "noted that the-surfaces of the inter-- lor'ikiugsand the edges ofthe openings'l l are so disposed as-topositively lock the strip in fixed positionwith respect to thescreed layer. Thus the upper and lower inclined surfaces "of the main *body (if each interlock lug acts .4 110 prevent any-relative vertical or longitudinal-"m'ovement of the strip, while the surfacesof each spur 13 act to assist in preventing longitudinal movementof the strip-with- '-respect t0 the floor layer. The inclined outer etlgesof-these members act to prevent relative *transversemovement of the strip with respect to'the floor layer. Alsothe lower edges of "the openings -14 act to aid in preventing up- '-ward movement" of the strip.

.While the material forming the finishing layerisbeing-applie'd to the screed layer, such 'material is tamped along the sides of the strip "andentersand fills the openings '14 as Well as :acompletely surrounds the upper portion of "the interloclilugs. These lugs being partial- "lyeinbedded' in the screed layer firmly hold and support the strip during this operation -"an d"prevent any unovement thereof. Since the"material ofadjacent sections ofboth the fifl screed and'terrazzo' layersof the flooring ex- ""tendthroughthe openings 14, such sections arefhrmly locked together at each of these openings. 'It'will'be noted that the upper'and lio wer su'rfaces of'the-main'body of the interfi lock lugsformwedgeshaped looks with adj asucceeding pair of interlock'lugs to retain the cent sections of floor material, and securely hold such sections in place and prevent undirection arenotched at intervals to interlock with similar strips extending crosswise of thefirst-strips asis clearlyapparent froman inspection of Fig. 1.

fllhus it willibe apparent that in a completed floor the novel separating strips of this inventionarenotonly securely fixed in interlocked relation to adj acent floor sections but are designed to tie such-sections'as well as the floor layers securely togetherinto aunttary whole.

As manychanges -could' .be made in :the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of thisinvention'could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it isintended that =all=matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as-illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What-is claimed is V -1. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a patternand guidein l-aying flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screedl-ayer and a terrazzoqor similar finishing layer comprising, a fiatbodyhaving uninterrupted straight upper an'd loweredges, and a seriesof spaced interlock'lugs-struckoutwardly from said body, -said "lugs having a inain-body extending*angularly to the longitudinal axis of said strip, an'da spur formed on the upperedgeofsaid -main body and-extending downwardly therefrom.

2. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a patternandguide in laying-flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a fiat bod-y having un interrupted straight upper and lower edges,

and a series of spaced interlock lugs-struck outwardly from said' body, said lugs having a mainbody extendingangularlyto the longitudinal axis ofsaid strip, ands. spur for-med on the upper edge of said mai-n body and extendingdownwardlytherfrom, said interlock lugs being adapted to be embedded in interlocked relation --with "both said screed and said terrazzo layers.

3. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a pattern-andguide in laying-flooring and other surfaces adapted to have screed layer and a terrazzo-or similarfi-finishing layer comprising,-a*flat body having uninterrupted straight upper. and lower-edges, and 'a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from said body, and positioned to 3 extend on opposite sides thereof, substantially from the central portion of said strip, said interlock lugs having oblique faces adapted to engage the screed and terrazzo floor layers.

4. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a pattern and guide in laying flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a flat body having-uninterrupted straight upper and lower edges, and a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from said body, and positioned to extend on opposite sides thereof, substantially from the central portion of said strip, said interlock lugs having oblique faces adapted to engage the screed and terrazzo floor layers, the oblique faces of each pair of successive lugs lying in intersecting planes whereby said pairs of lugs form keystone shaped interlocks with adjacent floor sections.

5. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a pattern and guide in laying flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a fiat strip like body having a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from the sides thereof, each of said lugs having a main body extending obliquely to the longitudinal axis of said strip, said strip having apertures contiguous to said lugs and being adapted to be embedded in the screed and terrazzo floor layers so that both floor layers surround portions of said main body in interlocking relation and also extend through said apertures.

6. A separating and defining strip ada ted for use as a pattern and guide in laying ooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a fiat strip like body having a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from the sides thereof, each of said lugs having a main body extending obliquely to the longitudinal axis of said strip and a spur depending vertically from said main body, said strip having apertures contiguous to said lugs and being adapted to be embedded in the screed and terrazzo floor layers so that both floor layers surround portions of said main body and said spur in interlocking relation and also extend through said apertures.

7 A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a pattern and guide in laying flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a flat strip like body having a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from the sides thereof, each of said lugs having a main body extending obliquely to the longitudinal axis of said strip and having a curved outer edge and a spur depending vertically from the upper edge of said main body and also having a curved outer edge, said strip having apertures contiguous to said lugs and being adapted to be inserted in the flooring so that the lower portions of the main body and spur of certain of said lugs are em bedded in the screed layer of one floor section, whereas the lower portions of the main body and spur of others of said lugs are embedded in the screed layer of an adjacent fioor section.

8. A separating and defining strip adapted for use as a pattern and guide in laying flooring and other surfaces adapted to have a screed layer and a terrazzo or similar finishing layer comprising, a flat strip like body having a series of spaced interlock lugs struck outwardly from the sides thereof, each of said lugs having a main body extending obliquely to the longitudinal axis of said strip and having a curved outer edge and a spur depending vertically from the upper edge of said main body and also having a curved outer edge, said strip having apertures contiguous to said lugs and being adapted to be inserted in the flooring so that the lower portions of the main body and spur of certain of said lugs are embedded in the screed layer of one floor section, whereas the lower portions of the main body and spur of others of said lugs are embedded in the screed layer of an adjacent floor section, the upper portions of the main body and spur of each of said lugs being embedded in the terrazzo layer of its respective floor section.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of February, 1929.

MARIO A. BOET. 

